Credit union counts coins for good cause
PRESQUE ISLE — A year of waiting on spare change was well worth the wait for one county organization, when NorState Federal Credit Union’s ‘This Is How We Roll’ donation was presented to Hope and Justice Project representatives Feb. 1 at the credit union’s Presque Isle location.
Contributed photo
PENNIES FOR A CAUSE — NorState Federal Credit Union recently donated the proceeds from its coin sorters from 2015 to the Hope & Justice Project. At NorState’s Presque Isle office for the presentation are, from left, NFCU representatives Tammy Wortman, Presque Isle branch manager; Denise Duperre, executive marketing officer; and Susan G. Whitehead, president/CEO; and, from Hope & Justice Project, Casey Faulkingham, education and prevention coordinator, and Desiree Chasse, associate director.
NorState donates 100 percent of the fees it collects from the use of coin sorters at the Madawaska and Presque Isle locations to a local county organization that benefits the communities, people and members. In January 2015, Executive Marketing Director Denise Duperre contacted the Hope and Justice Project’s executive director, Casey Faulkingham, and told her that NorState’s 2015 coin sorter income would be donated to the project’s coffers.
With the help of all members and non-members who came in to use the coin sorter machines in both Presque Isle and Madawaska, where an access fee of 2 percent for members and % percent for non-members is charged, a total of $3,517.08 in spare change was raised.
Susan G. Whitehead, Norstate’s president and CEO, joined in the ceremony, presenting representatives of the Hope & Justice Project with a check.
“It is so wonderful that we are able to donate 100 percent of our service fees to recognize a local charity in this very special way,” Whitehead said. “NorState truly believes in the credit union cooperative philosophy of people helping people. The Hope & Justice Project is making a difference in the lives of many County individuals.”
Hope & Justice Project officials say their goal is to serve the needs of victims and survivors of domestic, dating and sexual abuse and violence, and to work with the community to end this abuse in Aroostook County. In fiscal year 2015, Hope & Justice Project served 995 individuals, including more than 5,800 calls to their 24-hour hotline as well as 5,300 face-to-face contacts at their walk-in offices and shelters. The project also provides more than 70 prevention and education presentations at schools and universities throughout The County.
NorState FCU has added a third coin sorter in their Fort Kent location. Duperre announced that the receiving charity for 2016 will be the Heather & Liam Connection and Aroostook Autism Awareness Support Group.
“After much consideration, NorState’s management team decided that Autism awareness and support would be our focus for the new year, and our financial contribution from the fees collected from the users of the coin sorters in all three locations will benefit these local charities,” Duperre stated.
NorState Federal Credit Union serves Aroostook and northern Penobscot Counties with six branch offices in Madawaska, Van Buren, Eagle Lake, Ashland, Fort Kent and Presque Isle.
